1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-invasive ventilation and pressure support systems, and in particular to a portable patient interface system that may be used with non-invasive ventilation and pressure support systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous situations where it is necessary or desirable to deliver a flow of breathing gas non-invasively to the airway of a patient, i.e., without intubating the patient or surgically inserting a tracheal tube in their esophagus. For example, it is known to ventilate a patient using a technique known as non-invasive ventilation. It is also known to deliver positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy to treat certain medical disorders, the most notable of which is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Known PAP therapies include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), wherein a constant positive pressure is provided to the airway of the patient in order to splint open the patient's airway, and variable airway pressure, wherein the pressure provided to the airway of the patient is varied with the patient's respiratory cycle. Such therapies are typically provided to the patient at night while the patient is sleeping.
Non-invasive ventilation and pressure support therapies as just described involve the placement of a patient interface device including a mask component having a soft, flexible cushion on the face of a patient. The mask component may be, without limitation, a nasal mask that covers the patient's nose, a nasal cushion having nasal prongs that are received within the patient's nares, a nasal/oral mask that covers the nose and mouth, or a full face mask that covers the patient's face. Such patient interface devices may also employ other patient contacting components, such as forehead supports, cheek pads and chin pads. The patient interface device is connected to a gas delivery hose and interfaces the ventilator or pressure support device with the airway of the patient, so that a flow of breathing gas can be delivered from the pressure/flow generating device to the airway of the patient. It is known to maintain such devices on the face of a wearer by a headgear having one or more straps adapted to fit over/around the patient's head.
Patients suffering from OSA or similar disorders require ongoing treatment (e.g., CPAP treatment) to maintain a healthful routine. Thus, for patients that travel frequently and are away from home for long periods, the portability of the mask and gas delivery hose is vital for therapy compliance This is especially true for those patients that frequently travel by air, as tightened airport security and restrictions in luggage allowance (both carry-on and checked) are making it more difficult to travel with pressure support therapy equipment. While the size of the pressure generating machine portion of such equipment (e.g., the CPAP machine) has reduced significantly in recent years, the size mask and the hose portions have not. In addition, it is often not just the size of the mask and hose that matter; the lack of effective packaging for the equipment is also a factor. Furthermore, a 6-foot long gas delivery hose is standard for many treatment systems and such a hose is particularly cumbersome when it comes to packing.